For a few years now I have been telling Brent I want to pack Brooklyn better lunches. More than just the typical {and boring} sandwich, and something with more variety and healthier items. Not to mention, cutting down on the amount of ziploc baggies used. Don’t get me wrong – ziploc bags are necessary and something we use often – but I hated the idea that we were filling our own landfill with her lunches alone.
photo from website
So last year I bought some Rubbermaid Lunchblox products. I was SO excited….and had every intention of rocking her lunches {and Jonah’s as he was in Kindergarten two full days a week} but still didn’t have the vision.
Thank goodness for Pinterest – I FINALLY get it!
And thanks to the Bento Review Post by Smashed Peas and Carrots {one of my fave blogs}, I went for it and ordered some items. I had them shipped to the condo and can honestly say it was the ONLY reason I was anticipating the school year starting {okay, that and both kids being full time lol}.
Bottom line: I have caught the Bento Fever.
I have a few more products to add to our collection, but am happy for now. And my kids are rockstars at bringing home the reusable toothpicks {yay!}. I also know I can get even more creative, but I am still having loads of fun and I know the kids are enjoying their lunches.
Here are some ideas:
**Keep in mind it doesn’t have to be fancy. And, once you lose the idea that kids need a whole baggie of carrots for example and realize that just a couple is perfect, your life will change. Their lunches will change.**
The first day: Jonah’s {top} had kabobs {cheese is chopped cheese string}, watermelon, cashews, and a candy treat.
He told me after school he wanted more….of course he would – I completely forgot about recess snacks. oops.
Brooklyn had the same lunch except raspberries instead of cashews.
Jonah’s perfect Robot Bento Box.
And Brooklyn has the adorable Owl one.
Pasta Salad {with veggies, cheese cubes, and a homemade dill dressing}, fruit kabobs, frozen yogurt bites, carrots {with dip}, and a ham wrap.
Yogurt {with saran wrap just in case}, raspberries and blueberries, ham sandwich shapes, cucumbers and dip, a container with a few smarties, and a fruit leather {cheese string for Brooklyn}.
Bruschetta crackers, laughing cow cheese, carrots, cubed nectarines and frozen yogurt bites, and a wrap cut into little bite sized roll ups 🙂
Apple sauce, laughing cow cheese, THRIVE freeze dried apples and strawberries, 2 candies {2 to share, as per Jonah’s request}, tortilla shell cheese pizza {Brooklyn had a cheese quesadilla}
An orange, laughing cow cheese {was a big hit lol}, sliced strawberries {in a cupcake liner}, ham rollups, a sliced pickle, snap peas, half a granola bar, and a minigo yogurt.
Ham wrap {Jonah had cheez whiz}, carrots and snap peas, an orange, and grapes. Plus a yogurt tube.
Chicken sandwich {kids have request the whole thing now instead of half}, cheese slice, cubed nectarines, cucumber slices, and a minigo yogurt.
Other things I plan to send: bagels and cream cheese, guacamole and tortilla chips, granola and yogurt, granola bars, mini rice cakes, and anything NOT dairy related. Clearly that is a bit of a food rut/crutch I need to back away from. lol
I also have a few more items {okay lots more} I want to buy, including containers for apple sauce and yogurt with a lid. But for now, I’m enjoying providing the kids with colourful lunches and variety. 3 weeks in and I am still going strong!
Have you caught the vision of Bento style lunches?
Also – any other suggestions for what to send – pass them along!
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